'A Jewish warrior': Israeli MMA fighter Ilay Barzilay dedicates victory to hostages
After his latest win, Israeli MMA fighter Ilay Barzilay says he feels he is fighting for the global Jewish community.
With a broken rib and only three weeks’ notice, Jewish-Israeli martial artist, Ilay “The Hype Isreal” Barzilay, pummeled his way to victory at LFA 188 in Arizona last week for his fifth professional win in a thus far undefeated career in MMA (mixed martial arts).
LFA, Legacy Fighting Alliance, is a Texas-based MMA promotion company.Speaking to to The Jerusalem Post, Barzilay said that his matchup against 30-year-old American Christobal Renteria had been thrown together mere weeks before the event after his original opponent, an undefeated Muslim fighter from Tajikistan had withdrawn, citing “medical” reasons.Barzilay noted his skepticism regarding his would-be opponent’s rationale and added that he had not provided proof of a medical issue.Barzilay, however, a 5,10’ 23-year-old native of Herzliya, said that he himself had an injured rib going into the fight.
“During the first takedown of the fight, I felt this injury. Right now, I have a broken rib.”This, however, did not stop him from competing, and it didn’t stop Renteria from charging out at the start of the fight with every bit of his explosive power on display.For the first two minutes and 22 seconds of the fight, Renteria was on top. He succeeded in taking Barzilay down multiple times and even slipped a number of jabs past his guard.After the third takedown, and some brief subsequent grappling, Renteria managed to lift the younger Israeli off his feet and slam him down for what would be the fourth, and final takedown of the fight.Barzilay noted that Renteria’s high-powered start had been factored into his preparations for the bout.“Chris Renteria is a strong fighter, and he’s well known by how he opens fights. He opens fights at a high pace and he’s very explosive,” Barzilay said. “So, the game plan in the beginning was to get back on my feet, fight at this high pace, let him spend a lot of energy, and let him get tired.”As the two again separated, one of the commentators stated that Barzilay had not yet in his professional career seen the type of attack that Renteria posed.“And now he knows. Now he knows what’s coming,” the other commentator added.Before the latter commentator had finished speaking, the fight underwent a seismic shift.Barzilay unleashed a powerful combination beginning with a right uppercut, followed by a left, causing his adversary to stagger.Renteria attempted to halt Barzilay with a jab, but the Israeli fighter weaved underneath and came back up with a left hook that caught the American square on the jaw.
AS RENTERIA stumbled back, Barzilay came in firing, fists aimed straight for the face.Barzilay quickly secured a clench and launched a knee at his opponent’s abdomen, dropping Renteria’s guard, before resuming the flurry of blows.Ten seconds later, Renteria’s back had returned to the side of the cage.Barzilay let another hook combination fly at his opponent’s jaw, landing each one without fail.After the fourth, Renteria fell, and the referee stopped the fight.
A win for the hostages and his grandfather
Later, after the referee announced the result of the fight, a win by knockout, Barzilay walked up to the camera and dedicated his victory.
“To the hostages, this is for you. And also for my grandfather.”Barzilay told the Post that his grandfather had passed away just after he flew from Israel to Las Vegas several months before starting training.He added that he felt that he had a duty to speak up for the hostages. In fact, Barzilay says he went to school with former hostages Mia and Itay Regev andeven had the chance to speak with them days after their release.Another former schoolmate, he said, is still a hostage of Hamas in Gaza.
Asked how the war has changed things for him as a professional fighter, the 23-year-old Herzliya native said, “The only thing it changes is that it gives me more motivation. Now I have more to fight for. Before I fought only for me and for my family. And now I’m fighting for my country.”He also gets motivation from fans who message him to let him know that he has inspired them.“People tell me, ‘You don’t know how much you inspire us, the Jewish people, the Israeli people, to fight back. To see a Jewish warrior like you, that’s inspiring.”Messages like that “are everything for me,” Barzilay added.“I feel like I’m fighting, not only for my country, but for Jews all around the world.”For all the people who have been there for him along the way, Barzilay says the little he can do to contribute to his people is deeply meaningful for him.Now, after this latest victory in the Octagon, Barzilay is hoping to be called up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world’s leading MMA promoter.“I want to do everything I can to be a world champion,” Barzilay said, adding that he has a lot of ground to cover in order to reach that goal. “I really believe in a couple of years I can [do that]. I need experience and time, but I believe that’s something I can definitely do. I can make history.”
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